Creating a thriving garden isn't just about pretty plants; it's about regenerating and sustaining nature's symbiotic relationship between wildlife and plants.
To do this, you need to know your ecosystem inside and out. You start by identifying your ecoregion, and learning what plants help support our birds, butterflies, moths, and even other plant life. It's like exploring a treasure map that uncovers the plants that truly belong here. There's many layers but the journey is well worth it!
HOW WE DO IT:
At Seed & Scribe, we design our landscapes and gardens to align with the ecosystem so as to help support the symbiotic relationship between plants, insects, and wildlife. We follow the permaculture principle "Design from patterns to details" if you're learning Permaculture.
Our approach also takes into account the space size the plant will need, whats already growing there, soil type and nutrients, water needs, timing of bloom and availability, and ecosystem impact (we look at a ton of data😉). Here's how.
YOUR TURN:
To help you make your gardens more sustainable, start by first finding your Ecoregion. Your ecoregion is the first step to learning about your ecosystem. Explore the birds, butterflies, native trees / shrubs / flowers, what eats them? Who nests or lives in them? Really get to know your space.
SOURCE: EPA.GOV US site - Ecoregion Level 3 Map
NOTE: This is for North America. If you're in another part of the world, we recommend looking up your Department of Natural Resources, Department of Conservation, or sometimes called Ministry of Natural Resources (depending on where you're at). Example: New Zealand has a Department of Conservation that lists native plants for each ecoregion.
FINDING YOUR KEYSTONE PLANT:
Next look for the superheroes of your native plants, also known as the Keystone plants. They are the ones that hold ecosystems together and support a whole host of wildlife but they're not alone (there are resources below to find these).
To better support the ecosystem, you also consider growing additional native plants (the sidekicks to the Keystone) that complete the circle of the design. THIS is where your garden design journey begins.
Gardening with native plants isn't just good for looks; it's a way to make our ecosystems more resilient to climate change. Designing in a top-down pattern ensures you have balance of insects and defense against diseases. It's like creating a little piece of paradise where plants, animals, and people can thrive together.
From big regions down to tiny neighborhoods, every area has its own special plants that keep everything in balance. By doing the research ahead of planting, you better plan your space to be truly sustainable and impactful each growing season.
Happy Growing!
Elizabeth
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Resources to find native plants (in alphabetical order):
Mainly geared for US, but many resources can be useful for parts of Canada
(NOTE: We are not affiliated, own, or are connected with any of these resources in any way. The respective site owners are resPonsible for botanical accuracies and details. We're sharing a list of resources many any of our clients found them helpful on their journey.)
AUDUBON - https://www.audubon.org/native-plants
Use this site to find native plants that help specific birds. Ideal if wanting to attract key birds to your space (NOTE: Consider the plants grown nearby as they may already attract or feed desired birds)
To use:
Enter in zip code and click Search
Filter plants by type, birds, or what it produces (like seed or fruit) and scroll
EPA - NATIVE PLANTS DATABASES - https://www.epa.gov/watersense/what-plant
Use this site to find native plant databases for a particular US state, Ecoregion and so on.
To use:
The page lists the variety of plant databases that are most commonly in use in a small table at the bottom of the page.
FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION | NATIVE REVEGETATION - https://www.nativerevegetation.org/era/
This resource helps you identify specific native plant varieties for a space, read growing characteristics (such as native status, soil pH needs, water needs, pollinators impacted etc.)
To use:
There are two sections of the page. The top part is a map. The bottom part is a table with plants listed.
Filter the table by either selecting a state in the dropdown box from the menu or select the Ecoregion tab listed in the table bar (you find this center of the page).
NOTE: If you don't know the number or name of the ecoregion, you can click the region on the map and a popup will appear. The top of the window will have the ecoregion name and number.
The table bar scrolls to the right. Scroll to find your ecoregion
Click the name of your Ecoregion. The table will populate native plants for that space (WARNING: There will be hundreds if not at least 1k plants listed.)
HOMEGROWN NATIONAL PARK - https://homegrownnationalpark.org/native-plants-finder/
This recourse helps you find a shortlist of native plants across the US. This includes Keystone plants for a Level 1 Ecoregion.
To use:
Click "RESOURCES" in the top navigation menu
Click any of the available options (they each offer different perspectives). One main resource we've found helpful is the "KEYSTONE PLANTS BY ECOREGIONS" page.
NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION - https://www.nwf.org/en/Garden-for-Wildlife/About/Native-Plants
This resource is helpful to find plants that support butterflies, moths, and caterpillars.
To use:
Select any of their assets they've written and curated for their site. One great asset is their "HOST PLANTS BY ECOREGION".
PLANT NATIVE - https://plantnative.org/
This resources shares garden inspiration strategies for a particular space, and sometimes include indoor plants, and general care tips.
To use:
Search on the site or use their built-in navigation menu to navigate to available resources
USDA PLANTS - https://plants.usda.gov/home/
This resource helps identify plant characteristics (native range, growth patterns, etc.).
To use:
Search for a specific plant in the left navigation menu by typing the scientific (botanical) name or family name.
Once you've identified a plant, click on the tab "Characteristics" to learn helpful details about a given plant
We also use and know about the BONAP (North America Plant Atlas) site to explore native ranges, however, this site is not something we'd recommend for end-users as its not as easy or simple to use.
Want to share a site? We'd love to know! Email seedandscribe@gmail.com